By — Margaret Myers Margaret Myers Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/patti-smiths-midnight-encounter-chess-legend-bobby-fischer-sparked-abstract-friendship Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter How Patti Smith’s midnight encounter with Bobby Fischer sparked an ‘abstract friendship’ Arts Oct 20, 2015 6:32 PM EDT In her new book “M Train,” author and rocker Patti Smith writes about her chance encounter with chess legend Bobby Fischer in 2007. Smith told Chief arts and culture correspondent Jeffrey Brown about meeting the reclusive Grandmaster face-to-face one night in Iceland. A huge rock ‘n’ roll fan, Fischer persuaded Smith to stay until dawn singing old favorites from the The Chi-Lites, the Four Tops and Chuck Berry. “And he was a terrible singer. God bless him,” Smith said. Smith said the two bonded over their love of books, and stayed in touch until Fischer’s death in 2008. Listen to the full story above, and watch Jeff Brown’s full interview on tonight’s PBS NewsHour. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Margaret Myers Margaret Myers Margaret Myers is the former Digital News Editor for PBS NewsHour. She is a former editor for ESPN.com. She also led the features department at the Amarillo Globe-News in west Texas. @margaretvm
In her new book “M Train,” author and rocker Patti Smith writes about her chance encounter with chess legend Bobby Fischer in 2007. Smith told Chief arts and culture correspondent Jeffrey Brown about meeting the reclusive Grandmaster face-to-face one night in Iceland. A huge rock ‘n’ roll fan, Fischer persuaded Smith to stay until dawn singing old favorites from the The Chi-Lites, the Four Tops and Chuck Berry. “And he was a terrible singer. God bless him,” Smith said. Smith said the two bonded over their love of books, and stayed in touch until Fischer’s death in 2008. Listen to the full story above, and watch Jeff Brown’s full interview on tonight’s PBS NewsHour. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now